Valley Community for Recycling Solutions Ribbon Cutting

Published: June 16, 2014

June 18, 2014, 11am, Palmer, Alaska - Valley Community for Recycling Solutions (VCRS) will hold a ribbon-cutting to celebrate the completion of Alaska’s first Regional Resource Recovery & Training Park. VCRS is located at 9465 E. Chanylut Circle, on 11 acres immediately west of the Animal Care building off 49th State Street near Palmer. The ribbon-cutting will be held in the newly-renovated, completely enclosed, residential drive-through area, followed by tours of the facility to include a visit to the processing floor where participants can view the new baler in action.

The new 23,600 square-foot building, renovations, and new equipment were made possible by the generosity and foresight of the following partners: U.S. Dept. of Commerce Economic Development Administration, the Alaska State Legislature through the Dept. of Commerce & Community Economic Development, the Mat-Su Borough, the Rasmuson Foundation, the Mat-Su Health Foundation, and the support of many individuals and businesses within the community and around the state.

The facility was the first commercial industrial building in Alaska certified at the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED Gold level. The design of the renovation and the facility itself were both done by Wolf Architecture. Construction of the main structure was done by F-E Contracting, and the current renovation by Wirtanen. The new baler is a Harris Badger, a 2-stroke horizontal auto-tie baler fed by an in-floor conveyor, and significantly increases the capacity of the recycling center. The drop-off renovation will allow operation to continue despite adverse weather conditions while handling a greater flow of residential customers safely.

VCRS is focused on capturing resources from the waste stream and making them available for new products and economic development, locally and beyond. VCRS is a community-based, non-profit, 501(c)(3) corporation working in service for the long-term good of all. The organization is committed to working with local businesses and entrepreneurs to keep the resources recovered through its program available for economic development throughout the community and the State of Alaska.

VCRS moved into the new facility in December of 2010. With the completion of the recent renovations and the acquisition of the appropriate equipment, VCRS will be able to achieve the waste diversion goals set in 2005 by engaging commercial and industrial customers and ensuring that every resident in the Mat-Su knows there is a community recycling center in the neighborhood. The Community Recycling Center is now ready to dig into the waste stream.